


Second Day of Christmas

by mightbeababygay



Series: 12 Days of Ballum-mas [1]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Ballum Christmas, Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, I have awful pacing for their relationship so don't kill me, M/M, Slight Homophobia/Sexism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21660094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mightbeababygay/pseuds/mightbeababygay
Summary: Keeping to his promise to make this Christmas Callum's best yet, Ben makes plans to go to the pantomime and Lexi ponders over what to get Callum for Christmas. Turns out it's something none of them expected.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: 12 Days of Ballum-mas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559044
Comments: 10
Kudos: 94





	Second Day of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2!! Thank you for everyone that's been supportive of this series so far - it means the world! This one, I feel, is so much better than the first! I'm so excited to hear what people think of this so pls let me know!
> 
> Also, apologies for the pacing of their relationship - I have no self control😂
> 
> Not Beta'd - all mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Tumblr/Twitter - @mightbeababygay let me know what you think!!

“So, I’ve spoken with mum and she doesn’t mind you coming with us, instead.” Ben smiled, entering the living room to find Callum neatly plaiting Lexi’s hair. He’d been practicing for months now - from YouTube tutorials to practicing small ones on his own hair, even Ben’s once when he fell asleep in front of the movie they were watching together.

“I ain’t taking your mum’s place, Ben. That’s rude.” Callum shrugged, tying Lexi’s hair securely in place. 

Since Ben’s promise of them doing Christmas stuff together, he’d been none stop planning things. They (Ben, Lexi and Kathy) had been planning to go see Aladdin in the theatre for months now. Ben had tried to get Callum a fourth ticket, only it was fully booked. 

Callum didn’t mind, he was used to missing out. Plus, it was a pretty last minute thing, so he hadn’t got his expectations that high in the first place. Ben had mentioned about asking his mum to swap places with Callum, but he told him that no, he couldn’t do that. Kathy deserved to take her granddaughter to a pantomime more than Callum did.

“It’s not. I explained to her that I really wanted you to come and she was already agreeing before I could promise her a spa day - which she still took, by the way. She was happy to stay home, something about movies and wine.”

“I don’t want her to think I’m pushing her out - that ain’t fair.” Callum sighed, finishing up with Lexi’s hair and putting her children’s channel on for her to kill time before she had to put her outfit on. They’d learned the hard way about getting her ready for things early - it usually ended up with juice, or even ketchup, down it. 

“You’re not.” Ben promised, sitting down on the arm of the chair. “You’re getting good at this, huh?” He grinned, hand stroking over the back of Lexi’s hair. 

“He’s so good, dad.” Lexi grinned. “He’s promised to do my hair every morning before school now, right Callum?”

“Of course, darling.” Callum smiled down at the young child, fond expression clear on his face for anyone to see. 

If it was anyone else, Ben would be worried about just how attached the two of them were. But he knew Callum, and he knew that whatever happened between the two of them, he’d always be there for Lexi. That wouldn’t ever change, no matter what Ben might do to fuck them up. 

“If you don't want to come with us, you don't have to, you know?” Ben asked after a moment, resting his hand on Callum’s thigh. “I ain't gonna hold it over your head.”

“No, I want to. Spending the evening with my two favourite people - I just don't want your mum to be mad.” Callum promised, leaning up to peck Ben's lips. 

“She ain't mad. Pretty sure she loves you more than me, at this point.” Teased Ben, squeezing Callum’s thigh before getting up from the arm of the chair. “Right, I’m gonna get some food from the Minute Mart before we go.”

“You mean you aren’t gonna wine and dine us? Bit cheap, ain’t ya?” Callum teased, taking Ben’s hand to stop him. “Besides, you’ve been at work all day. Let me cook, yeah?” 

“You don’t have to-,” Ben started only to be interrupted by his daughter.

“Can we have some of your pasta, Callum? The one with the peas and broccoli?” Lexi asked, looking up from the programme she was watching about dinosaurs. 

“If that’s what you want, Princess.” Callum agreed, standing up from the sofa. He reached for Ben, pushing him backwards into the seat he was previously occupying. “You sit here and learn about the dinosaurs. I’ll make dinner.” He grinned, leaning to peck Ben’s lips. 

“Fine.” Ben agreed, clearly reluctant to let Callum cook. He didn’t want him to feel like he had to cook, especially when Lexi was asking. While they’d been together for months now, and they hadn’t gone a week where they hadn’t been together as a trio, it still worried Ben that Callum felt like everything had suddenly become so...domestic. 

Leaving the father and daughter duo alone, Callum went into the kitchen, pushing the door shut behind him. He didn’t want to disturb them with the pottering and clashing of pans. 

The first time he’d made this dish for Lexi, Ben was astonished that he’d actually managed to get her to eat her peas. Callum, of course, brushed it off as something she was just growing out of - a phase of not eating vegetables was normal for every child. 

But Ben had told him that she still wasn’t eating vegetables unless they were made by Callum. After he’d gotten over the initial warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest that could only be described as adoration and love for the little girl, Callum had set to making a list of dishes he could make whenever Lexi came over. 

From different varieties of pasta to home-made potato chips, Lexi had loved them all - which only made his love for her grow in return. Even if Ben was mad that their usual takeaway nights had turned into a healthy eating one. Honestly, Ben was worse than Lexi when it came to vegetables.

Callum had even taken to teaching Lexi some nights - usually on a weekend when she wasn’t tired from school. They’d make dinner together ready for when Ben came round to his, eat together and then Ben would go home to drop Lexi off, leaving Callum with the washing up. Not that he minded at all, even if Ben did moan at him when he came back that he should teach Lexi that side of cooking as well. 

He hummed to himself as he cooked off the pasta before adding his own home-made cheese sauce to the pan, the sounds of Ben and Lexi chatting and giggling in the other room filtering through the closed door, making him smile. He was pretty sure at one point he’d heard Ben mimicking the different dinosaur noises. 

It wasn’t long before he had three bowls of pasta cooked, another two wrapped on the side as leftovers for Lexi and Ben the following day. 

“Hey, you.” Ben smiled as he stepped into the kitchen, being hit with the wonderful smells of Callum’s cooking. “Lexi’s just washing her hands.” He rested his hands on Callum’s hips, who was currently scrubbing the pans. “You don’t have to do that, you know? I’m perfectly capable.”

“It’s fine, babe. It’s only a pan, wouldn’t want you to break a nail.” Callum teased, getting a pinch at the skin of his hip in response. 

“I’m perfectly capable of getting my hands dirty, you should know that.” Ben winked as he pulled away, taking Lexi’s bowl from the side. “Come eat with us, don’t need you holed up in here cleaning like some housewife.”

“I’ll be there in a second, I promise.” 

Ben huffed as he carried Lexi’s bowl into the living room, where she sat patiently waiting, at the dinner table. “Remember to blow on it to cool it down, and keep you hair out of it.” He smiled, tucking Lexi’s hair behind her shoulders. 

“I'm a big girl, dad.” Lexi huffed, exactly like her father as she began carefully eating her pasta. She was soon joined by Callum and Ben at the table with their own bowls. 

They all sat in a comfortable silence as they ate, munching away happily at the taste of Callum’s great food until Lexi pushed her bowl away with an exclamation of being finished. 

“What do you say, baby?” Ben reminded her before she rushed off, wanting to get ready for their outing. 

“Thank you, Callum.” Lexi smiled over at the taller man, hopping down from the chair. “Can I go get changed now, dad?”

“Go on, then. Make sure you shout if you need any help.” Ben reminded her, his sentence not even finished before she was already rushing off, up the stairs. “I'm sure she only has manners when you're around.”

“That's like someone else I know. Only says please when he needs something.” Callum teased, standing to collect their empty bowls. “Come on, come show me your washing up skills.”

“Oi, I can wash up. It ain't that hard.” Ben rolled his eyes as he followed Callum into the kitchen, Lexi's empty cup in his hand. 

“I ain't saying that - you just don't seem like the type. More of the dump it on the side for someone else, kinda guy.”

“Nice to know how you really feel.” Ben laughed, placing the cup on the side to wrap his arms around Callum's waist. “Besides, why would we waste the next ten minutes washing up when we could be making out?”

“Maybe because we're responsible adults, not sex-craved teenagers.” Callum smiled, leaning back into Ben's embrace. 

“You weren't saying that this morning,” Ben teased in response, pressing a kiss to Callum's neck. “Nor last night.” Stepping on his tiptoes, Ben nibbled at Callum’s ear lobe. “Nor yesterday lunch time in the funeral parlour.”

Blushing red, Callum couldn’t help but feel embarrassed about the fact that yeah, they really were acting like horny teenagers. 

“Makes me sound like a right slag when you say it like that.” Callum laughed, turning in Ben’s arms to face him, washing up long forgotten.

“Yeah, well, just know you’re my favourite slag.” He teased, reaching up to press their lips together. 

“Callum!” 

Ben sighed, breaking the kiss as he heard Lexi shouting. “Did you want me to go?”

“No, no it’s okay. You can show me just how good those washing up skills of yours are whilst I’m gone.”

Grinning, Ben grabbed the tea towel from the side. “Yes, Chef.” He winked, making sure to slap Callum’s arse with the towel as he walked out the door. 

—

“Did you want a beer?” Ben offered, hands clasped with Callum's as they stepped into the theatre foyer which was packed with people, most with children, waiting to go in. 

“Dad, can we have ice cream?” Lexi begged from where she was holding onto Callum's other hand. Ideally, Ben wanted her in between them so they could both keep an eye on her in the busy area, but she insisted she was a big girl and would only hold Callum’s hand. 

“I'll take some ice cream.” Callum shrugged with an easy smile. “Mint choc chip.”

“Okay.” Ben agreed, even if it was going to send Lexi into a crazed sugar rush at some point. “Don't go wandering off - either of you.” He reached up to peck Callum's lips before pulling his hand away. He briefly rested it on Lexi's head before squeezing his way through the crowd to the ice cream counter.

“How about you and I go check out the Christmas tree? I've heard it's massive.” Callum gasped playfully from where he was crouched down at the knees so Lexi could hear him over the loud room. 

“Yeah!” Lexi's face split open into a wide grin. 

Standing back to full height, hand clasped securely in Lexi's little one, Callum directed Lexi carefully through the crowds to the tree which stood proudly into the centre of the foyer, covered in red and gold baubles and ribbon. 

“Did you know, Callum, that Santa came to see me early? He decorated my tree for me. Jaime from school doesn't believe me, she says that Santa is too busy making presents to decorate for me.” 

“Well, you must've been an extra good girl this year for Santa to do that for you.” Callum promised, fond smile on his face. 

“I have been.” She nodded seriously. “Dad says that Santa says that he's got loads of presents ready for me but that I can't have them yet, even though I've been really good. Have you been good this year, Callum?” 

“I hope so. Maybe not as good as you, to get a special visit from Santa, but good enough for one or two presents.”

Lexi nodded her head once more, finger pressed against her pursed lips as she stared at the tree in thought. “I think you've been really good. I'm going to ask dad to ask Santa to get you a present from me for Christmas.” 

Smiling, Callum leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. “That's very nice of you, sweetheart, thank you.” 

“Callum, do you think a dinosaur could reach the top of the tree?” She asked, peering up at the tree which stretched several floors above them. Huffing when she still couldn't see the top of the tree, Lexi took several steps back in an attempt to see, accidentally bumping into a woman behind her. 

“Careful, darling.” Callum told Lexi, hand reaching out to steady her. “Sorry about that.” He added to the woman, giving her an apologetic smile. 

“No harm done.” The woman - middle-aged, with vibrant red hair pulled tight into a bun on the top of her head, lipstick to match - spoke. “I must say, that's a very nice outfit you've got.” She smiled down at Lexi, gesturing to her replica Aladdin outfit. “Although, as a young lady, you should be wearing a dress. Not trousers. Those are for boys.”

Callum couldn't help the shocked expression that spread across his face. Was this woman serious? Schooling his features, Callum gave her a tight smile. “Lexi chooses whatever she wants to wear. A dress or trousers - it doesn't matter as long as she wants to be wearing it.”

It was that moment that Ben reappeared, two ice cream tubs and a bottle of non-alcoholic beer for himself, in hand. 

“Alright, babe?” Ben smiled, handing Callum his tub of ice cream with a kiss to the cheek before pulling off the container lid for Lexi and handing it to her with a small wooden spoon. “Remember that's cold, don't want you getting brain freeze, do we?” He teased, completely oblivious to the situation playing out in front of him. 

“Ah, that would explain it.” The woman spoke up once more. 

“What would?” Ben frowned, slowly pulling the bottle he was about to take a sip of, from his lips. “Sorry, who are you?”

“Well, I was just explaining to your friend-”

“Boyfriend.” Ben interrupted her, gesturing with his hand for her to continue. 

“That,” The woman continued, completely ignoring Ben's input. “Your daughter - I'm presuming she's actually your’s and not his - should be in a nice dress like Jasmine, not Aladdin. But now, I see why. She's got two ‘daddies’.”

Ben started at the woman in disbelief, masked expression hiding the anger bubbling up in the pit of his stomach. 

“I’m sorry?” Ben spat out, ignoring the warning hand Callum rested on his arm. “I just didn’t quite catch watch you said, I’m a bit deaf you see. Only, it seems like you’re coming for my family.”

“Ben,” Callum warned as the smaller man took a step closer to the woman.

“Now,” Ben continued, their bodies now separated by centimetres as he pointed his finger at her. “For your information, she does have a mother. My little girl has the best family anyone could ask for. So why don’t you, and the prejudice, homophobic shit that falls from your mouth, get out of my sight? Before I do something that’ll get me banned from this fine establishment.”

The woman stared down at Ben, a cross between shock and determination to stay and prove him wrong, spread across her face. 

“Now.” Ben ordered, snapping his fingers and pointing at the direction of the door, watching as the woman gave a small jump and scurried off. 

He let out a long sigh, the tension leaving his tense shoulders as he turned back to Callum. He rested his forehead against the taller man’s chest, his hand protectively resting on Lexi’s back as she ate her ice cream. 

“You okay?” Ben whispered up to Callum, not moving his head from his chest until the unshed tears that were filling up his eyes, were gone. 

“Yeah,” Callum confirmed, just as quietly. “I didn’t-, Lexi only bumped into her, she just wanted to see the top of the tree. I didn’t-,”

“It’s okay.” Cutting him off, he finally looked up at Callum. “People like that don’t need the excuse to start mouthing it off. You did good.” 

Sometimes, Ben forgot how new all of this was to Callum. Of course, it’d taken time for him to finally touch him in public. But they’d got over that hurdle months ago. This was different, though, and Ben could already feel the guilt bubbling up inside of him for dragging Callum into this.

“Don’t do that,” Callum sighed, cupping Ben’s cheek with his cold hand, cooled from the melting ice cream tub. “It ain’t your fault, so get the guilty look off your face, okay? If you wanna talk about it, we can do it later. This evening’s already been messed up enough, don’t need you throwing a diva fit.”

Ben rolled his eyes, unable to stop the smile spreading across his face. “Come here.” He leaned up, lips pouting and eyes closed as he waited for his kiss, humming happily as Callum obeyed. 

Pecking his lips one more, Callum pulled back. “Right, I want a picture of my two favourite people in front of the tree, come on.” 

\--

“Daddy?” Lexi mumbled sleepily from her bed where Ben was tucking her in.

“You alright, princess?” Ben asked quietly, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

“Yeah, need you to ask Santa something for me.” She rubbed at her eyes sleepily. “Need you to ask him to get Callum a present for Christmas.”

“Yeah? What did you have in mind for him?” He asked, proud smile on his face as he watched his sleepy daughter think. 

“I think, you know what the mean lady said earlier? About me having two daddies? Do you think Santa could make Callum my daddy, too? As well as you and mummy. Do you think he would like that?”

Oh. 

Ben pursed his lips to stop the tears from falling as he nodded his head slightly. “I’ll uh,” He paused, clearing his throat to try and unlodge the lump that was forming. “Listen, baby, I’ll ask Santa for you but we also need to ask Callum, too. He’s got to be able to decide, as well. You remember the chat we had before I first introduced you to Callum? That we had to be gentle with him because he’d had a bad time recently? Sometimes...that might mean he’s not ready, just yet. But I can ask him, for you. And, if Callum and your mum agree, then of course.” Ben wiped at his eye, giving Lexi a soft smile. “You want me to ask him for you?”

Lexi gave him a small, almost shy, smile as she grabbed at her soft dinosaur toy Callum had brought her a few weeks back. 

“You know the lady, earlier?” Ben started, reaching up to brush a loose strand of hair from her face.

“I know, Daddy. She’s a mean lady and mum says I shouldn’t listen to what mean people say. This isn’t about that. It’s about Callum.”

“When did you get so wise, huh?” Ben smiled, wiping the tears that had fallen down his cheeks. 

“I’m a big girl, daddy.” Lexi reminded him once more. 

“I know, Princess. Right, come on, time for sleep otherwise your mum will kill me if you’re grumpy in the morning.” Ben laughed wetly, standing up from the bed. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. “Love you, baby.”

“Love you too, daddy.” Lexi smiled up at him before snuggling back down in her bed. 

Ben smiled as he watched her for a moment before quietly stepping out of the room. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself as he ran his hand over his face. If he was being honest, he had no idea how to handle this situation. If he asked Callum and he said no, where would that leave them? What would he even say to his daughter?

“That was a long time. Did she need two stories again? I told you, you gotta drag them out better.” Callum asked up from his phone as Ben stepped into the bedroom before going back to the screen. 

Upon getting no response, Callum looked up from his phone once more to find Ben still in the same position. “Ben?”

“No, she uh, had more requests for Santa.” Ben mumbled, clearing his throat as he pulled his jacket off. “List’s so long now I’ve forgotten half of them. Should’ve written them down somewhere so I can remember them all.” He continued to waffle on as he got ready for bed. “Not that it matters, she’ll have forgotten the first things on the list by the time Christmas comes.”

“Is this about her wanting to get me a present?” Callum sat up on the bed, phone now resting on the side table. 

“She told you?” Ben asked, shock clear across his face. 

“I mean, she mentioned about getting me a present? About asking you to ask Santa but it doesn’t matter, honestly.”

“Did she tell you what she wanted to get you?”

“Uh, no. No, she didn’t.” Callum gave a little shake of the head as he continued to watch Ben act oddly. “Probably something dinosaur related, I’d guess.”

“Listen, we need to talk.” Ben told him carefully, sitting down on the bed.

“Is it about that woman, earlier? Because I didn’t mean for that to happen, she let go of my hand for a split second, that was all.” Callum explained, trying to push down the panic that was taking hold of him. “I didn’t - she just wanted to see the tree. I mean, yeah I suggested it, but I didn’t mean for any of that to happen.”

“She wants to call you dad.” Ben announced, stopping Callum from the rest of his rambling.

“Oh.” Callum whispered, mouth dropped open slightly from shock as he stared at the back of Ben’s head. “Is it-, is that-, I mean, if you don’t want her to, I-.”

“What?” Ben turned around to kneel on the bed, facing Callum finally. “No, it’s not about me. It’s you, I’m worried about. It ain’t like we’ve been together that long, and it’s a lot, ain’t it? Not even a year ago, you were getting married and now you’ve got a boyfriend, and you practically live here, and you’ve got this unexpected family. I just, it’s a lot. For you. You ain’t had the chance to go out, get drunk and fuck a different guy every night. You deserve-,”

“I don’t want to do that.” Callum sighed, reminding Ben once more. “You’ve answered the question for me, without even asking me, Ben.” He wiped a tear from his cheek. “So don’t tell me that it’s about me because you’ve made up your mind already, ain’t you? So what’s it really about? Is it me?”

“I’m scared, okay?” Ben snapped. “Everything’s just moving so fast and what if we don’t work out long term? What about Lexi then? How do I explain that to her? What do I do, Callum, if it doesn’t work out?” His voice barely a whisper as he wiped the tears away angrily. 

“You won’t have to explain anything to her, because I won’t let it happen.” Callum promised, taking Ben’s wrists and holding onto him like a lifeline. “I’m not letting you go. If it wasn’t going to work, it would’ve fallen apart, already. I love that little girl. I love you. You’re the most important people in the world to me and I’m never letting you, or her, go. So if she wants to call me dad, she can. If she wants just stick with Callum, that’s fine. I’ll love her the same either way. Just...trust me, Ben.”

“I do.” Ben whispered, pressing their foreheads together. “It scares me how much I need you. How much I love you.”

“I know, it scares me too.” Callum squeezed Ben’s hands. “But, it’s okay because sometimes the best things are the things that scare us, initially. As long as we do this, everything, together, and we’re honest, we’ll be fine.”

Ben gave him a small smile before tucking his head into his neck. He wrapped his arms around Callum as they laid down, holding one another. 

“How am I supposed to wrap this as a present?” Ben asked after hours had passed, the two of them still awake in one another’s arms. 

“I don’t know but you ain’t wrapping me up.” Callum snorted, hand curled in Ben’s hair. 

“But you’d look so cute with a bow in your hair.” Leaning up to look down at Callum, Ben gave him a playful smile. 

“Shut up, you weirdo.” Callum laughed, rolling them over so Ben was underneath him as their lips met one anothers.

**Author's Note:**

> Next instalment will be up Thursday featuring Ice Skating! Also (if you're reading it) the next chapter of 'Flip of a Coin' will be up tomorrow!


End file.
